Living here in Utah I occasionally get people -- usually coworkers -- who just automatically assume that I must be Mormon. I don't know why; maybe they heard somewhere that my parents are Mormon, or maybe it's just my appearance or the fact that I still choose not to drink or smoke or do drugs. Or that I graduated from BYU. Whatever it is, at least 3 or 4 times in the past decade I've had someone just assume that I must be Mormon and talk to me as such. A few even asked where I went on my "mission," which really aggravates me.

Even worse is when I come out and tell them I'm an atheist, because we're like the devil incarnate to many heavily religious people. The looks of horror and disgust I got in those scenarios still haunt me. I know it's THEIR problem and I'm perfectly happy with my religion, or lack thereof, but still. I think it's part of why I'm so secluded nowadays -- I never go out because I don't even want to run the chance of meeting some hyperactive Mormon who really only wants to "save" me. It bothers me a great deal. I just want normal friendship, without constantly getting invited to church or other LDS-centric activities. I feel like the vast majority of Mormons I've met in my lifetime simply aren't capable of being friends thanks to that "every member a missionary" bullshit. I'm sure that there must be nice people somewhere in this state who won't smother me with their imaginary crap, but I don't know how to find them.

Just wondering.

...but I've had people tell me that they thought I was a preacher. I just have that middle-aged look, I guess.

My wife and I like to sing karaoke. A couple of people over the years have assumed that we are music ministers at some big Evangelical church.

I'm not in the Morridor, but people who know that my mother is a TBM Mormon think that I am one too. They don't even ask me what I believe, or anything. Some think I'm just a JackMo. It's beyond irritating.

I was never taken for a mormon when I WAS a mormon...

Now I'll meet people and mostly they say, "Here, take my money; ... please don't hurt me..."

You a cop?

Nice one. It's a legitimate question.

I don't know exactly why but I was mistaken for being non-Mormon when I was TBM and living in Utah. I never wore my religion on my sleeve and I didn't use a lot of the Mormon acronyms like GA and RM in my speech. I even used to have never Mo's come to me crying about how much they hated Mormons. Guess I just never gave off that Mormon scent.

No, I live in a part of the world where Mormonism really isn't on anyone's mind. It's rare to run into another Mormon.

No, I live outside of the Morridor, where Mormonism really isn't on anyone's mind. Now, because of my Irish last name, people have mistaken me for a Catholic.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2016 10:47PM by adoylelb.

I am from Utah but moved to another state and if I tell people I am from Utah usually the first thing they ask is if I'm mormon. They probably think that I am.

All. The. Time. I think its because I dress conservatively and live in the morridor. Weirdly enough, my husband and I were just out of town on vacation and a man at a bus stop (who appeared mentally ill) came up to us and started ranting about "us Mormons". I have no idea why he thought we were Mormon.

When people do assume I'm Mormon I only correct them if it matters, and usually it doesn't. Random person on the street? Customer I'll probably never see again? Who cares. It's not worth it. If it is at work, I just say that I don't like to discuss my personal beliefs on the job and leave it at that.

I'm a NeverMo, but my wife is Community of Christ. I attend a Unitarian church, where the people are convinced she's Mormon. They even tried to talk me away from her (in between the underwear jokes) because they're convinced she's anti-gay.

I'm at the point where when I tell people I was raised a Mormon (because it's relevant to some story I'm telling) they reply, "Really? I never would have guessed." It's not because I'm some kind of wild man (except by Mormon standards). There's just nothing particularly Mormon about me. I credit it to getting out of Zion after college and learning how to live like a normal person.

Not really. I don't speak with the Raymond Mormon accent (neither did my dad, and he was born and raised there).

RB

Yes! I don't drink coffee. People watch what you eat and drink in the Morridor.

I've seen TBM couples in local restaurants here and we acknowledge each other and then I'll hoist my pint to them...and they look confused and sometimes angry. Mission accomplished.

RB

Some people still think I am. I have only told a select few close to me. And by way of the mormon gossip line my father communicates people have found out.

I don't act any different except for cussing a little more and drinking tea, and attending church in clothes that are not standard.

Very Seldom

I don't think that you need to feel obligated to discuss your atheism if other people can't deal with it. I would just stick with something simple, like "I'm not a Mormon and I'm not interested." If they press, you could follow up with, "I don't care to discuss religion." Then change the topic.

As a former Catholic, I've found that Catholics respond well to, "I was born and raised Catholic, but I no longer practice." But Catholics are not expected to actively proselytize or reign back in the lapsed among them.

I never get people to assume that I'm mormon.

1. I swear too much.
2. At work, I have tea in my desk and drink several cups of coffee in the morning.
3. I talk coherently and often about alcohol.
4. I've worked in scientific fields for too long.
5. I wear sleeveless shirts and shorts above the knee often enough that I have tan lines.
6. I often comment about going fishing on Sunday's.

When people find out that I was mormon and served a mission they tend to not believe it. I take it as a wonderful compliment.

So, no, it would be difficult to place me as a mo, simply because I have an affinity for tank tops, tattoos, and a shamelessly colourful vocabulary.

All the time because I live in Utah. Technically, I am because I haven't resigned.

yes - and I demand an immediate apology for the insult....

Even at my most Mormon, which included not going to seminary and joining the Navy instead of going on a mission, I was rarely accused of being Mormon. Even when I told people that I was from Utah the only question that I really got was "what is it like to live around Mormons?".

I was rarely accused of being Mormon, most Mormons seemed surprised that I was one. I wore Wranglers,Levi's and cowboy boots often with an AC/DC or Harley shirt. I wore black shirts and had a tattoo.

If someone did ask if I was Mormon the response always was "No, I had the stick pulled out of my ass when I was eighteen."

One time, in Iraq, I was standing in line to order a pizza (Iraq was not your grandfather's war) and female airman asked me where I was from, I said "Utah", she asked how many wives I had, I said "three, and I am looking for a fourth".

I am a Utahn, currently living in Kentucky. I doubt many people here know anything about Mormons, but I do find myself dressing differently than the general populace. They usually wear shorts and T-shirts, or "carpenter's pants." Carpenter's pants are the Levi's of this area. I wear dockers or 501's and a button-up long sleeved shirt with boots, shirt-tail out. I'm kinda covered up. It's just my way. I may look a little Amish or something. Part of it is because I am so pale that I am trying to prevent skin cancer. My dude pony tail halfway down my back might be a clue that I'm not religious, though.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2016 06:36PM by rationalist01.

I, too, cover-up as much as possible due to skin cancer running rampant in my family line. I inherited my father's Irish pale skin. Nothing I would like more than to run around outside in some skimpy outfits and get a fetching tan. All I've ever gotten in regard to sunbathing is lobster red body and peeling skin.

I'm sure I could easily pass as a mormon if I half tried.

I think I do look mormon and probably always will. I get it less when I'm with my boyfriend, who doesn't look mormon in the least. I just don't worry about it.

I used to have business in the ( now gone) Seattle Police station, I was regularly mistaken for a plain-clothes Narc...

Many cops walk & present themselves with the cop persona/swagger.

Does that count?

Yes, unfortunately. I tend to dress more conservatively due to my profession and there are quite a few Mormons in the company I work for. Annoyingly, even my boss (who knows me quite well) forgot once that I'm a no-Mo -- despite the fact that I show up at every department meeting with coffee in hand.

Oh, all the time. Maybe it's the shoulder length silver white hair. Or beard. Maybe it's being tall and trim in middle age. Or perhaps remaining unmarried after being widowed. The alcohol and coffee are just an act. Yup, I'm frequently mistaken for a mormon.

whenever I tell people I don't drink or like coffee, don't smoke, don't do drugs and I'm a virgin...all of which is true for reasons that have nothing to do with religion.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2016 01:36PM by anybody.

When in Utah, all I get mistaken for is me: THE GREAT Apostate, fixin' Fate! Oops, I'm Late! Running behind!! Still, be Kind. Don't Rewind! Nevermind.

usually by the missionaries. They can't believe somebody can know so much about mormondum and never have been a member. I then tell them I'm a former G&A turned atheist, and they flit away nervously.